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November 19, 2012In The Middle Of Everything

We are very lucky to be based in Berlin and yes, we know that! Despite the approaching cold weather, the German capital is probably one of the best, if not the best city to be at the moment.Affordable, adventurous and well-connected, Berlin is home to around 3.5 million inhabitants or “Berliners”, as they like to refer to themselves. Almost 800,000 of which are under 25 years old. Take that demographic pyramid!

Well, some of you, who haven’t been to Berlin – let alone Wooga, are probably wondering where exactly our colorful and cozy office is situated in the German capital.

Only a couple of minutes from the famous Eastern TV-tower at Alexanderplatz (or “Alex” as Berliners like to say), Wooga’s office is nestled on the top two floors of a former baking factory complex, called “Die Backfabrik”, which is home to many other creative young businesses as well. Wooga’s base is situated in Berlin’s buzzing Prenzlauer Berg area, surrounded by lots of cafes, restaurants, and striving hotspots in walking distance. Which are the prime go-to places you need to check out around the office? And where do hungry Woogas head when they want to refill their energy bars or chill out – in the city famous for (but of course not limited to) Currywurst, Döner, and Club Mate-cuisine? Of course, fully covering Berlin’s +890 km2 would have been too much for this endeavor, so we decided to focus on a 15 minute-walk-radius around the office to show you where the local action is at.

Alexanderplatzing Galore

If you start off your trip at Berlin-Alexanderplatz, a fast elevator ride to the cupola of the tower is definitely worth a trip, giving you a phenomenal 360° overview of Berlin’s skyline. Besides its tower, Alexanderplatz serves as one of the city’s main transportation hubs and offers many shopping opportunities. If the local mall, Alexa, is too crowded for your shopping spree, Münzstraße with its various flagship stores is definitely worth a visit.

Berlin’s Culture Beat

Only a couple of minutes from Alexanderplatz lies the famous Museumsinsel on a small island in the the river Spree. Home to five museums and a gallery, Museumsinsel provides the avid culture seeker with everything historical from ancient memoirs to modern times. Wooga’s neighborhood can also pride itself with a thriving art gallery-density that is right on par with other metropolises. If you are more into experiencing “lively” culture, don’t miss out on a stage performance at Volksbühne Berlin. The combination of its “art for the people” credo with a rather unorthodox staging approach makes it a special experience.

Starvin’ Like Marvin

After satisfying your mind with so much food for thought, it’s definitely time to recharge your batteries and dive into the most delicious eats around the office. You should give Dolores a try. Based literally around the corner from Alexanderplatz, its made to order-Burritos and Quesadillas are skyrocketing you straight to food heaven, but beware it is a feast for rumbling stomachs. For fans of Asian cuisine: Yam Yam, Good Morning Vietnam or DuDu cover everything you crave from Korean BBQ to tasty Sushi. Probably the best pizza in town can be experienced at Due Forni, which is super close to the office as well.

Achtung! For lovers of German heartiness with a twist, Imbiss 204 offers a tasty journey for your taste buds. Still hungry? Fancy something unheard of? You should give Antipodes a try – a cozy place run by two expat-Kiwis serving everything from hearty soups to tasty pies, and delicious coffee.

We got so hungry writing about the different food options around the office that we need to stop here now, like immediately. Hopefully, well-fed it is about time to move on from the food frenzy and have a look at Berlin’s startup cosmos, in which Wooga has also found its place…

Startups for Starters

Berlin’s startup scene has gained lots of international coverage over the last years and we are glad that Wooga is still part of this exciting environment. To get the latest buzz, a trip to St Oberholz will provide a tech-savvy person with everything from elevator pitches to meetups with tech journos, and to a spacious co-working office above the inviting restaurant. There are uncountable noteworthy young companies with fresh ideas and international people within one km² of Wooga’s office, so many in fact, that they’re might just be too many for this post.

However, for more information and the latest updates from the pulsating startup scene, you might want to give the following websites a try:

Cold One After Work

If you had a successful day and feel it is time for a little chill out after work, a stroll down Torstraße to Rosenthaler Platz will give you enough liquid options to choose from chic & pricey to laid-back & affordable.

To jump start your after dark-adventure, White Trash Fast Food is a great place for tasty burgers and freshly tapped beer. The next stop could be at Kaffee Burger just across the street. An infamous nightclub, which will see you dancing to crazy beats on their cozy dancefloor in almost no time.

The slightly hidden Trust Bar (Torstraße 72) introduces you to the art of conceptional drinking, because here you get to mix your own fancy creations with their signature TRUST vodka. Via Odessa Bar (grumpy bouncers, but everyone dances on the tables) you should dive into the lovely Mein Haus am See to blend in with the crazy Berlin-Mitte crowd and end your journey on a high note.

Just Can’t Get Enough?

If you finished your Wooga neighborhood tour and still feel like continuing your journey around Berlin to finally say, “Ich bin ein Berliner” from the bottom of your heart, here are some helpful sites: